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The Service Party has been unequivocal about service delivery to the people. When the BBI report was launched at Bomas of Kenya, we outlined our irreducible minimum which included Guaranteed Minimum Returns for our farmers.

Equitable distribution of the national cake and non politicisation of electoral body IEBC. We asked our people to read the document, understand and point out their views.

As a Party, we recognise that the amended BBI document has addressed majority of issues that our people had raised. We are at the moment scrutizing views raised by our people before coming out with a party position.

However from the onset, we are concerned that some political brokers are pushing for an ‘us’ vs ‘Them’ contest that will definitely leave the country more divided.

We want to tell them that they will be in for a rude shock in the coming days when taps start to dry up during rainy season.

The Service Party leader Mwangi Kinjuri has told the government to open up the Building Bridges Initiative report for public scrutiny and review.

Kiunjuri on Tuesday said various groups have raised several issues they want to be considered. Most Kenyans support the document but have reservations about a few sections, he said.

“We were told to read the document and we did. What did they want us to do after reading?” Kiunjuri asked.

He said Kenyans need to be told the advantages the report presents and the shortcomings of the current Constitution so they can make informed decisions.

“We are now informing Kenyans and educating them on the report but at the end of the day, we need their views to be incorporated,” he added.

Earlier, Kiunjuri said the adoption of some of the proposals made by leaders from the pastoralist communities will take away what is good for Mt Kenya in the BBI.

“There should not be selective inclusion and skewed initiations. We have noted with concern that the Mt Kenya region and some sections of the Rift Valley region are not being invited and are largely being treated as complainants,” Kiunjuri said in a statement.

“There are some irreducible minimums that must remain intact for the objectives of the BBI to be achieved.”

However, speaking during a burial ceremony in Thangira village, Maragua, the former Agriculture CS termed it hypocritical for leaders to say the report will not be opened up for amendments.

ODM leader Raila Odinga on Monday ruled out any significant alteration of the report, saying only editorial work will be done. But Kiunjuri said the report should be reviewed if its true intention is to unite Kenyans.

“At the end of the day, the issues being raised are not more than 10. We have seen governors, MCAs, the clergy and other sections of Kenyans raising concerns and we are asking, ‘Why are we shying away from addressing the issues raised?” he said.

“We cannot say the document will not be amended, only to open it at night. Kenyans can see this is all politics. When the setup works for you and you think it can give you votes, then you prohibit amendments.”

Kiunjuri questioned why Raila agreed to have the document altered and then changed his mind. He said the final report should unite Kenyans and should not leave out crucial views.

Raila’s sentiments have been opposed by people, including Deputy President William Ruto, who has cautioned against building walls around the BBI report and locking out good ideas.

A section of MPs has also called for a minimum guarantee return fund that will include five per cent of the nationally generated revenue to be set up.

In Murang’a, MCAs have also called for the autonomy of county assemblies to liberate MCAs and enable them to oversee the operations of county governments.

Gatanga MCA Nahashon Gachuhi said a county assemblies service commission should be set up that will handle MCAs remuneration, similar to the Parliamentary Service Commission. He also wants governors to source their County Executive Committee members from counties and housing and vehicle grants issued to MCAs.

“MPs receive housing and vehicle grants of up to Sh15 million, while MCAs only receive Sh5 million loans to buy their vehicles and homes,” he said.

Gachuhi also wants the proposed ward development fund increased from five per cent to 15 per cent of the county’s revenue. He, however, praised the document for increasing the counties’ allocation from at least 15 per cent to at least 35 per cent, saying it will boost development.

As reported by The Star. See original story HERE

As reported by Nation.Africa

Service Party of Kenya (TSP) leader Mwangi Kiunjuri wants security apparatus to apply the new guidelines on political gatherings non-selectively and not to use them to punish leaders perceived to be anti-government.

The former CS said the new National Security Advisory Committee’s resolution requiring political leaders intending to hold public gatherings to seek approval from an officer commanding station of an area three days prior might be used to punish some politicians.

Speaking in Kitengela over the weekend in a tour to popularise his party, Mr Kiunjuri urged the government to ensure the new rule cut across the political divide fairly.

He cautioned security officers against being misused by government machineries to deny some leaders permission to hold meetings despite applying for the same.

“We support the new guidelines only if they will be applied to all leaders across the political divide. We fear the rule might be used to punish and frustrate leaders perceived to be anti-handshake politics,” said the former Agriculture CS.

Mr Kiunjuri met dozens of leaders from Kajiado East and some residents in readiness for party membership recruitment, promising to field candidates in all elective posts countrywide in 2022 general elections. He rallied locals to support Deputy President William Ruto’s presidential bid through the TSP party.

Former Kajiado gubernatorial aspirant and prominent businessman George King’ori said Jubilee party wrangles and the onslaught between Kieleweke and Tangatanga factions have left members vulnerable and dejected.

As reported by theSTAR

The Service Party Leader Mwangi Kiunjuri has blamed President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for the heated political temperatures in the country.

Kiunjuri also blamed the three for the trading of insults being witnessed in the country adding that they started it all before their supporters followed suit.

Speaking on Friday during the burial of his sister in-law Anne Wairimu at Kamwanya in Mugunda Ward in Kieni constituency, he said on the President’s side, there are people who wake up every day as if they are on the payroll to insult the DP.

The same applies to those who are on the DP’s side who insult the President and have now gone to an extent of insulting former First Lady and President Kenyatta’s mother Mama Ngina Kenyatta.

He also said Raila kept mum when ODM legislators like Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga insulted leaders from Jubilee Party.

But he (Raila) is now lamenting that leaders should be respected, the ex-CS said.

President Kenyatta’s followers, he added, followed suit when people like Murathe hurled insults at the DP before the habit spilled to Ruto’s followers.

“The buck now stops with the three of you. If we shall have peace, if you want to unite Kenyans and if you want this nonsense to come to an end, then Raila, Kenyatta and Ruto must apologise to the nation because you started it all,” he said.

The Service Party of Kenya (TSP) leader said the three must respect Kenyans if they want to be respected by them.

But they should not turn to Kenyans accusing them of being indisciplined. The three should extend a handshake between them and give Kenyans direction, he said.

He called on the President and his deputy to unite the country as they pledged to do when they were first elected in office.

Kiunjuru said though both of them had given the promise; they have since abandoned the position of unity.

On the BBI, he said Kenyans will read the document and decide whether to reject or support it saying BBI was not the President nor his deputy’s idea “but that of Raila”.

“We did not elect you to come and change the Constitution,” he said, referring to Uhuru and Ruto.

The former CS said he did not see the need for the country to spend Sh 10 billion to do a referendum while farmers are suffering across the country.

Kiunjuri also faulted Raila and Ruto saying they have no interests of the Mt Kenya region at heart after they failed to lobby their senators to pass the third revenue-sharing formula.

He wondered why Mt Kenya should vote for them if they cannot help pass the formula.

The decried the division in the region saying it has turned it from being kingmaker to swing votes.

The region’s vote may end up being divided into two between Raila and Ruto, he said.

Also present were Nyeri Woman Representative Rahab Mukami and Laikipia Senator John Kinyua among other leaders.

The Service Party (TSP) leader Mwangi Kiunjuri has hinted at teaming up with Deputy President William Ruto as his running mate in the race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta come the 2022 General Election.

Mr Kiunjuri, though sceptical, says he will accept the will of God if he happens to be handpicked to vie as Dr Ruto’s running mate.

Speaking during an interview on Inooro TV on Sunday night, the former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary said Mt Kenya residents should front one leader to lobby for their interests in the next government.

“There have been rumours that I will contest as DP Ruto’s running mate in the forthcoming election. I have never made such a pronouncement but if I happen to be blessed to become one, nothing and nobody can be against the will of God [sic],” Mr Kiunjuri said.

“We are playing 2022 politics but the Kikuyu nation is silent. We should be planning and scouting for the person who will represent us at the top decision-making table. We (the kikuyu community) are known for being generous in offering our overwhelming support and votes to presidential candidates. We will not pay a bride price without being accompanied by our elders,” he added.

Mr Kiunjuri further said the Gema community’s decisions have over the years been made by the Mt Kenya Foundation, “in closed-door meetings”, but that the tactic should change where 2022 succession politics is concerned.

“If I happen to be Mr Ruto’s deputy, I will not hesitate lobbying for the interests of the people of Mt Kenya, but if we continue acting like priests during church summons and shy away from agitating for our issues, we are doomed to fail,” he said.

“We cannot feed our cow here in Mt Kenya and have the milking done in other regions . The long-awaited journey has just started in earnest,” the outspoken leader added.

Uhuru factor
In a recent media interview, Mr Kiunjuri thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta for propelling him to the national political limelight, assuring him of his support as he races against time to leave a legacy before he exits the top office in 2022.

“TSP aims at bringing the people of Mt Kenya region together and by doing so, we have not wronged anyone. I will continue supporting and respecting the President in the remaining two years,” Mr Kiunjuri said.

In March, however, Mr Kiunjuri accused the President of kicking him out of Cabinet despite his input in supporting his Jubilee party in the run-up to the 2017 general elections.

Mr Kiunjuri said he was short-changed even after agreeing to fold up his Grand National Unity (GNU) party and support Mr Kenyatta’s re-election bid.

“I had the GNU party but I was told to wrap it up and join Jubilee as a partner. Now, it is like telling someone traveling to Nairobi to leave their boda boda and board your new Prado but upon reaching Karatina, you are harshly kicked out while it is raining,” Mr Kiunjuri said at the time.

“I had expressed interest in vying for the Laikipia gubernatorial seat but I was told to drop my bid in broad daylight and that I would be offered a plum job in government. I will now be jobless for the next three years,” he added.

Shelved ambitions
In 2012, the then Public Works Assistant Minister and Laikipia East MP formed the Grand National Unity (GNU) party as its leader while the late Nderitu Gachagua was its secretary-general.

GNU, just like The National Alliance Party (TNA), Party of National Unity (PNU) and Alliance Party of Kenya (APK), supported Mr Kenyatta (the then Deputy Prime Minister) in his bid for the presidency in 2013.

In 2016, GNU was merged with several other parties to form Jubilee so as to support President Kenyatta’s re-election bid ahead of the 2017 polls.

In the run-up to the 2017 polls, Mr Kiunjuri eyed the Laikipia governor seat but shelved his interest after being advised by the Jubilee Party leader to support the then Governor Joshua Irungu’s re-election bid.

He plunged into politics in 1997 when he was elected MP for Laikipia East under the Democratic Party.

As reported by the NATION

Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has made his plans known on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s succession.

On Sunday night while on Kikuyu station, Inooro TV, Kiunjuri said that Mt Kenya was bound to lose out if it did not unity and raise its stakes ahead of 2022.

“You cannot go to a council of elders gathered around a fire without your own firewood. Who will sit on our behalf when people get to the negotiating table?” Kiunjuri posed.

He added that this was the reason that he formed The Service Party (TSP) as a vehicle that can go and negotiate for the region.

“A good driver is known when it is muddy and out politics today has become muddy. This is a reason why we started The Service Party of Kenya. We must ensure that whoever is president, our voice is there,” Kiunjuri said.

The former CS exited Cabinet in January in what was seen as a move by Uhuru to tame his deputy William Ruto.

Kiunjuri is a close ally of Ruto and is seen to be among the frontrunners if the DP decided to pick a running-mate from the Mt Kenya region.

But Kiunjuri said that this was not the most important thing at the moment and should not pre-occupy the region.

Kiunjuri gave the example of the revenue formula where he said the Mt Kenya region has been poorly represented.

“If Rute leaves Jubilee Party, like it seems, and forms his own party, TSP will go and negotiate with him because he is the one we are supporting. But whoever the candidates are, I will vote for Ruto and that is a stand I cannot change,” KIunjuri said.

Kiunjuri said that it was not wrong for people to start political campaigns even if the region can wait for Uhuru to give direction.

He noted that Ruto, ODM leader Raila Odinga and ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi were already on the campaign trail and there is no reason why Mt Kenya should be left behind.

The TSP leader said that people must look back at 2011 when the late Environment Minister John Michuki declared that Uhuru would be the region’s leader.

“Even before that declaration, Uhuru had already started campaigning and we started with The Hague issue. We therefore kicked off campaigns for 2013, about three years before,” Kiunjuri said.

He added; “People are already campaigning for 2022 and we as Mt Kenya are just silent. A clever farmer starts tilling his land knowing that the rain will come at a certain time and they must be ready to plant.”

Kiunjuri also said that there was no bad blood between him and the President and he had worked diligently as a Cabinet Secretary.

“Ruto is our in-law and he came to our aid when we were in trouble. We must always pay good with good and me being friends with him cannot be seen as doing the wrong thing. And just because I am friends with Ruto does not mean I am an enemy to Uhuru,” Kiunjuri said.

Mt Kenya has been divided with what could be seen as the main political party in the region – Jubilee – almost in the middle.

Another challenge for the region is that it has held the presidency since 2002 with the next election marking 10 years.

The dilemma in the region also comes in the form of an incumbent president who appears to have lost too much ground with his preferred political vehicle – the Jubilee Party – in shambles.

On the other hand, there is a group from the region that has sided with Ruto – the man Uhuru had promised to support but lack a clear political vehicle to board.

According to Kiunjuri, the region must be careful not to lose out and this is why he has been criss-crossing the country to establish offices.

“We have now opened offices in 27 counties and we are always going round the country from Thursday to Sunday to ensure that we have a strong vehicle that can be called to the table when the time comes,” Kiunjuri said.

The TSP leader said that Mt Kenya must demand its share from whoever forms government whether the region is in or in the opposition.

“The question that we should be tackling as a region is not about being deputy president or president but who will take us to the table,” Kiunjuri said.

As reported by TheStar